Company president: For the management

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct82% picked this

   takes for granted that only the best management consultants have worked for the top

   Why this is right

   Is the author assuming that only the best consultants work for the top firms? Yes, that would look like, "work for top firm --> best consultants" The author is definitely assuming that, "if this applicant worked for one of the top firms, then we can be sure that they are one of the best consultants".

   Skill tested: Flaw · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   82%
2. B

   Bad Conclusion Match Not "Sampling"3% picked this

   generalizes from too small a sample of management consulting

   The author's conclusion isn't much of a generalization. It's only making a claim about the eventual applicant they hire. This answer describes the Famous Flaw of Sampling, in which we worry that the sample is too small, biased, or unrepresentative. The author is definitely making an assumption about the top 1% of firms (all their consultants are among the best), but he isn't taking something that's true of the top 1% of firms and then generalizing it about all consulting firms.

   3%
3. C

   Reversal13% picked this

   takes for granted that if something is true of each member of a collection, then it is also true of

   The author is taking for granted that if something is true of a collection (if a consulting firm is among the best), then it is true of each member of that collection (each consultant from those firms is among the best). But this answer gives us those ideas in reverse. This answer describes a move from Part to Whole, but our argument was a move from Whole to Part.

   13%
4. D

   Out of Scope: "accept the job"1% picked this

   presumes, without providing warrant, that persons who have worked for the top companies will accept

   The conclusion is only about whether they will have / won't have selected one of the best consultants. The conclusion doesn't care whether the applicant they select goes on to accept / turn down the offer.

   1%
5. E

   Too Strong: "at every task"1% picked this

   presumes, without providing justification, that highly competent management consultants are highly competent

   Is the author assuming that a highly competent consultant is also great a cooking, at playing violin, at organizing a closet? Of course not. He's only assuming they're good at consulting.

   1%